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Year: 2017

Costumes and cultural appropriation – where to draw the line

Written by Ginah Shergill on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

It’s time for trick or treat, pumpkins, and scary outfits. Halloween has crept up on us once more. Many are prepared — coloured contacts, litres of fake red blood, and the spookiest of outfits ready and waiting — whilst some such as myself are clutching at straws for a sinister yet sensational costume for a night they most probably won’t remember.

Regardless of your wardrobe agenda, the prevalence of cultural appropriation can be deemed increasingly important during Halloween season. Cultural appropriation and the issues surrounding it seems to be ever increasing.

What do we define as cultural appropriation? Although there are varying ways to view this, essentially it can be seen as when someone adopts a certain aspect from a culture that does not belong to their own, this can span clothing, hairstyles, or manners of speaking.

Its central focus lies in the power dynamic where the dominant culture seeks to extract elements from a minority culture without consent and from a group who may have been oppressed by that dominant section of society in the past. For instance, minority groups in the past that constantly face issues of cultural appropriation, especially in the US, include African, Asian, Mexican and Native American people.

This being said, you have probably seen people dress up as Native Americans with a feather headdress, or wearing sombreros and fake moustaches as Halloween costumes- we are probably all a little guilty of teetering across these very fine lines.

These ethnic and racial stereotypical type ‘costumes’ are popular and highly dubious. We only have to look at our favourite Jenner sisters Kendall and Kylie as an example to see the sensitive nature of cultural appropriation and how it can create an array of issues.

Both members of the Kardashian clan have been rigorously scrutinised for imitating Latin culture in their named clothing collections. Kylie also faced backlash for sporting cornrows and braids which are prevalent in black American culture.

Katy Perry is also accustomed to much criticism after her appearance during performances where she dressed as a geisha in 2013 which mimicked Japanese culture.

Issues regarding this were recognised by University Students in Ohio who also paid this issue a significant amount of attention and started a campaign called ‘We’re a Culture, Not a Costume’ in 2011. This focused on preventing cultures being turned into stereotypical costumes.

One woman’s temporary costume may be an integral facet and identification of another’s cultures and treasured traditions so it is important to be mindful and sensitive to those around us when selecting our Halloween costumes.

Playboy’s history in Manchester

Written by Megan Matthews on . Posted in News.

Labelled an ‘American Icon’, the controversial figure Hugh Hefner died on the 27th of September. His death sparked an offset of celebration for the man some claim helped make the liberal elements of the women’s movement more acceptable to a conservative, pre-Betty Friedan, 1953 American society.

The magazine Playboy had been a supporter of women’s rights measures that were condemned by all parts of the bourgeois, including legalising abortion, sex education and birth control.

To put it into perspective, the first edition of Playboy was published in 1953, but abortion wasn’t legalised throughout the whole of the US until 1973. Similarly, he used his platform to push for gay rights, saying in a Playboy editorial in 2012, “Without [gay marriage], we will turn back the sexual revolution and return to an earlier, puritanical time.”

Whilst this magazine mogul’s impact was clearly widespread, many today are probably unaware of his influence within the city of Manchester itself. Located on what is now known as Manchester’s Gay Village, the Playboy Casino was situated on Canal Street and was the setting for wealthy Mancunians, footballers, actors, businessmen, and the like, to be served food and drinks by ‘bunnies’.

However, Yvonne Arstall, a former bunny, says the club was also a place for family groups and anniversaries as well as a celeb hotspot. The club was a 70-seat restaurant and girls had to meet certain standards to be allowed to don the iconic PlayBoy leotard and bunny ears.

Julie McCormack worked there throughout the 70s and told M.E.N in 2011 about the standards needed. She said, “in those days, you had to be really quite special to be a bunny girl. You had to have brains and intelligence as well as the physical attributes.” McCormack told of gruelling maths and psychometric tests that she had to pass and how her name was picked for her out of the hat- turning her into ‘Bunny Tiffany.’

Below are some  of the guidelines from the ‘Bunny’s Behaving Book’:

No bunnies were allowed to be given lifts home from anyone who had visited the club that evening.

No bunnies were to tell any visitor their real names.

No bunnies were allowed to embark in sexual relations with any of the guests of the restaurant.

Bunnies were to be immaculately dressed at all times.

Hair and nails were to always meet proper standards.

The strict nature of the establishment was a sentiment to how safe the clubs were made. The Mancunion have found no ex-worker who has publicly condemned the club and its methods. Most ex-playmates, including Yvonne Arstall, are “proud” to have their Playboy background, with many taking part in interviews over the years.

As Arstall said, “It’s about being the best of the best,” and this is a clear sentiment to the feeling behind the club itself. Experiences at the club are also positive with Arstall also saying, “It was so glamorous, and there was such a wonderful feel and atmosphere to the place.”

Opening in 1973, the club closed in 1982, after a rebranding of the entire face of Playboy due to it becoming labelled as ‘sleazy’. In 2011 there was call for it to be brought back to Manchester, following the success of the newly renovated one in Mayfair, London, where bunnies are earning upwards of £60,000 a year with tips.

235s casino in Deansgate was to be rebranded into a Playboy Casino with its own batch of bunny croupiers. However, some called it a ‘shocking step backwards’ and the plans were never put into action.

 

The PVC Renaissance

Written by Amy Nguyen on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Let’s talk PVC. Plastic Polyvinyl Chloride.

Traditionally associated with goth, punk, and fetishism, marked as the perfect go-to dominatrix uniform, this glossy patent material is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance.

Our favourite mean girl Cady Heron once said, “in girl world, Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress up like a total slut and no other girls can say anything else about it.” For many of us, adhering to this advice and grabbing your nearest pair of PVC pants may be a once-a-year Halloween-Cat-Woman-manoeuvre.

Within the last year, the PVC trend has received substantial coverage and has returned in full force on the runway, the high street, and has been worn by the biggest names in the business. This high shine slick material, usually reserved for costumes and dress up, has been given a big nod of approval in recent months from designers across the globe.

Vinyl Raincoats have featured on this season’s runways by Vetements, Topshop, Burberry, and Adidas. The sheen of the material adds not only a waterproof function but a sleek futuristic take on this key winter piece. Various levels of transparency of the material can also be seen to create an extra dimension and additional layer to a previously simple ensemble.

This September, Olivier Rousteing, Creative Director of French powerhouse Balmain, adorned the beauties during Paris Fashion Week in an eclectic collection of PVC. This SS18 preview saw jumpsuits, tailored trousers, and skirts, all comprised of the normally infamous PVC, adapted into a variety of chic and sexy silhouettes.

On the high street and at the more affordable end of the spectrum, purchasing a plethora of patent is made easy with retailers such as Topshop, Missguided and H & M incorporating this into their current Autumn and Winter collections. Former Made in Chelsea star turned designer Millie Mackintosh, has placed the PVC stamp on her latest range with the gorgeous Fyfield trouser available to purchase on ASOS.

My recommended style tip would be to pair these shiny new threads with a pastel toned fluffy knit to even out the overall temptress level of your outfit.

Photo Credit: Millie Mackintosh @ Instagram

Often hard to defend outside of the Halloween season, designers and retailers have pushed PVC to the forefront of their leather agenda in many guises and creations in recent months. So Halloween and spooky season related or not, I dare you.

 

Migration researchers team up with theatre group

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

University of Manchester researchers are collaborating with a local theatre group to shine light on the issue of migration.

Co-founder by former Coronation Street actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, the Ancoats-based Hope Mill Theatre are working with the University’s Migration Lab to produce a new multi-media theatre production titled ‘Be//Longing ‘.

Running from Tuesday the 31st of October to Saturday the 4th of November, the production is an artistic response to recent social and political events, showcasing the Manchester Migration Lab’s findings and addressing perceptions and myths about migration.

Manchester Lab Coordinator, Dr Cathy Wilcock, said: “Public opinion on migration has been manipulated for political and ideological reasons by the right-wing press, and a lot of popular discourse is very far removed from the actual facts.

“This is one of the reasons we’re keen to collaborate with creative practitioners – it’s essential that academic researchers make use of as many communication channels as possible, in order to expose these myths and raise awareness of migration research at The University of Manchester.”

Hope Mill Theatre will attempt to transform itself to resemble a warehouse on the edge of a border.

Upon arrival at the theatre, audience members will reach an arrivals area where their tickets will be checked and processed before they cross the border to ‘Be//Longing’.

They will then “receive a map to a world of performed narrative, film, music and installation” which will explore various themes including the effects of Brexit on EU workers, the hierarchy of belonging and how people redefine borders.

Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh said: “Hopefully, the fusing of academic findings and the creative engagement of the theatrical experience will bring the many stories to light, and provide a beautiful and informative evening for our audiences in the wonderful Hope Mill Theatre.”

The production will also consist of various film screenings including “Risk to Exist” by indie band Maxïmo Park and Grant Archer’s film “Borders”.

The University of Manchester Students’ Union Diversity Officer, Riddi Viswanathan, said: “I personally believe that the value added by the immigrants, especially international students and academicians, to Great Britain is immense and needs to be celebrated.

“[I’m] extremely elated to hear about the launch of Be Longing. This is such an innovative initiative to discuss the issues on migration. I wish the team all the very best with this project!”

Tickets can be bought online and are £5 for University of Manchester students, £10 for concessions, and £12 for adults.

All proceeds from the event will go to migration charities Revive, United for Change, Operation Florian, and Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS).

Budgeting basics

Written by Vicki Greenwood on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Creating a budget plan and sticking to it can be harder than it sounds, however learning to manage your finances is a useful life skill to acquire.

At the Advice Service, we recognise that financial difficulties are becoming increasingly common. With the rise in living and accommodation costs, plus cuts to financial support for students, ensuring you manage your finances and create a budget plan is more important now than ever.

Here we have pulled together our top budgeting basics to help you manage your money on a budget:

Boosting your income

It is really important to understand exactly how much money you will have coming in, and when. This will enable you to build a picture of what your income is going to look like across the year, helping you to create a budget plan.

Funding

Make sure you have explored all the funding options available to you. If you are unsure as to what your student finance entitlement is then please get in touch with the Advice Service who can advise you on this. There may also be other options you haven’t yet explored such as applying to charities or trusts for extra funding.

Part-time work

Lots of students find that they need to work part-time in order to pay for their living expenses. However, please try and keep in mind how important it is to create a work/life balance that is manageable.

The University of Manchester Careers Service has links and tips for finding a part-time job: http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/findjobs/workwhilestudy/parttime/

Sell your clutter

Most of us have items that we no longer use any more. Why not have a clear out and sell these on as a means to try and give your finances a quick boost? There is a marketplace on the University website which allows students to sell and buy items: http://themarketplace.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/

Managing your expenditure

Make a list of all your essential out-goings e.g. rent, bills, and food per term/month. Once you have done this take that number from your termly/monthly incomings to figure out how much you have left to spend on the non-essentials. If it is looking like a tight squeeze then you may need to consider limiting your non-essential expenses.

Socialising

Your largest non-essential expenditure is going to be socialising — whether it’s a night out, cinema, or going for a meal or out to lunch. Going out and socialising with friends is a large part of university life.

To put it into perspective if you buy lunch 3x a week at a fiver a go, then in one academic year that will cost you around £600. It may be worthwhile making extra when you cook so that you can take it to university with you. The Students’ Union have microwaves available for students to heat up their lunch on the go!

Clothes

Clothes are something we all need but it can be so easy to splurge on that extra top or pair of jeans you’ve had your eye on. Try to have staple pieces in your wardrobe that you can dress up or down. If you see something you like then try not to act on impulse, go away from the shop and have a think if you really need it or if you will wear it often.

There are loads of selling sites around and plenty of charity shops so why not look at buying some second-hand items. Some things are good as new and it is a great way to get labels at a fraction of the price, plus vintage is a great look!

If you have an NUS extra card you can also get student discounts on loads of items so make sure you shop around to get the best deal.

Staying active

Staying active need not cost you a pretty penny. A gym membership can be costly but there are plenty of exercise apps you can use if you want to exercise for free!

There are also lots of sporting facilities available for UoM students to take advantage of. This includes cut-price gym membership and exercise classes for as little as £2 per class!

Take a look at the following links to find out more:

http://www.sport.manchester.ac.uk/facilities/

http://www.sport.manchester.ac.uk/fitness/activeman/

Further budgeting advice can also be found by using Blackbullion where you can access a number of budgeting modules online. To take a look at the modules and register just go to www.blackbullion.com

Love for the Streets: Halloween soundclash

Written by Nicole Wootton-Cane on . Posted in News.

Halloween revellers intend to descend on CUBO Fallowfield next weekend for a night of soundclash entertainment, all in the name of charity.

‘Love for the Streets: Halloween Soundclash’ will involve three different crews going up against each other, each hoping for the biggest crowd reaction. The event will have three rounds, with the headliners each having twenty minutes per round to wow the audience.

Proceeds from the event will be split, with 50 per cent going to furthering the Love for the Streets campaign and 50 per cent to homeless charities in Manchester such as Street Support and Big Change Fund. The event comes after various new initiatives from Manchester City Council and Mayor Andy Burnham to tackle homelessness in the city.

CEO and founder of Love for the Streets, Jonah Enyi Ogbuneke, hopes the night will be a big hit with students.

He told The Mancunion: “The line-up speaks for itself, with amazing crews like Off Beat, Freerange and Romping shop.’’

Jonah’s motivation for creating and organising this night comes from his commitment to dealing with the problem of homelessness in Greater Manchester.

He states that his movement, Love for the Streets, is a “creative and unique response to the issue…it’s perhaps the only initiative I’ve come across that goes out of its way to engage students in a very serious issue.’’

Love for the Streets is entirely run by student volunteers and Jonah plans on using some of the proceeds from the event to expand the idea even further, creating a campaign called “community” to go along with the events.

He said: “To me, this is one of the most exciting parts of the campaign. It’s where we get to go into a lot of depth on the issue of homelessness. We have planned conferences, art exhibitions, volunteer taster sessions and ambassador training, all centred around the issue of homelessness.”

The aim of much of this is to allow members of the public to be able to signpost the nearest services to rough sleepers when they see them.

Love for the Streets is a campaign that Ogbuneke is confident will continue to grow with the help of volunteer support.

The event, ‘Love for the Streets: Halloween Soundclash’, is at CUBO Fallowfield on Saturday the 28th of October at 10pm.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week

Written by Megan Matthews on . Posted in News.

Stop Hate UK, with the help of the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Beverly Hughes, are aiming to raise general awareness of the increased number of reported hate crimes in the Greater Manchester area. Running from the 14th-21st of October, the week’s activities include candlelight vigils, social media campaigns, community workshops and fundraising events.

A report released this year revealed the reporting of hate crimes in the Manchester area has risen by almost 55 per cent since 2014. Numbers have of reports have grown from 3099 in reports as of January 2014 to  5639 as of January 2017. Some believe this shows that people feel comfortable coming forward to talk about their experiences of hate.

As reported by the Home Office, it could be said that ‘the increases are due to the police improving their identification and recording of hate crime offences and more people coming forward to report these crimes- rather than a genuine increase.’ However, it can also be said there has been a significant increase in hate crimes themselves following the Brexit vote in June 2016 and the attack on Manchester Arena in May 2017.

In the Statistical Bulletin on hate crime in England and Wales 2016/17, written by Aoife O’Neill, it was stated that there has been an overall increase of hate crimes by 29 per cent from 2015 to 2017, which was called ‘the largest percentage increase seen since the series began in 2011/2012.’ A spike was also seen around the time of the EU referendum and at the corresponding times of the attacks on the Westminster Bridge and London Bridge this year. Of this increase the breakdown is as follows:

  • 78 per cent were race hate crimes
  • 11 per cent were sexual orientation hate crimes
  • 7 per cent were religious hate crimes
  • 7 per cent were disability hate crimes
  • 2 per cent were transgender hate crimes

Hate crime is defined as ‘any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victims or any other person, to be motivated by a hostility or prejudice,’ and is focused on five main categories, religion, faith or belief, race, ethnicity or nationality, sexual orientation, disability or gender identification.

A press conference led by Beverly Hughes was focused on the universal policy, ‘Let’s take a stand against hate.’ In a rallying speech, she spoke of Manchester’s “zero tolerance approach to all forms of hate crime,” and said she was proud of Manchester having “one of the highest reporting rates of hate crime in the country.” However, she made it clear that more work was to be done, and why National Hate Crime Awareness Week was so important. She said, “Nobody should live in fear [of] being persecuted for who they are or what they believe… [this week] shines a light on these dreadful crimes, gives victims a voice, and shows that Greater Manchester will stand together against hate.”

National Hate Crime Awareness Week’s website says they ‘spread a message of H.O.P.E:

“Hate crime awareness

Operational responses to hate crime

Preventing hate crime where possible

Empowering communities to report hate crime and work together.”

 

To participate in National Hate Crime Awareness Week log onto their website nationalhcaw.uk and get involved with the programmes and vigils that will be happening over the next few days. There is also the opportunity to get involved on social media. If you download and print off the ‘I’m supporting National Hate Crime Awareness Week because-’ poster and then upload a photo of it to social media, tagging the charity Stop Hate UK, you’ll be spreading the message. There are also several hashtags that can be used to further your influence:

#NHCAW
#WeStandTogether
#NoPlaceForHate
#SafePlaceForAll

 

WE’RE ON STRIKE: staff to protest job cuts

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

Staff at the University of Manchester will go on strike on the 23rd and 24th of October to demonstrate the depth of anger towards senior management over proposed job cuts.

From 7:30am to 11:00am, University lecturers will be picketing buildings across campus, including outside the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons and the Samuel Alexander building.

After picketing, there will be refreshments and a rally in the Students’ Union from 11.00-12.30 and a speech from a senior UCU figure — likely to be the UCU General Secretary or UCU President.

University staff are striking over proposed redundancies in the University’s School of Arts, Languages and Cultures (35 posts), the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (65 posts), and Alliance Manchester Business School (40 posts).

The dispute between staff and senior management has been ongoing for over a year, with an email sent to thousands of staff on the 10th of October 2016 detailing a Board of Governors’ decision about job cuts.

At the time, the University suggested that it needed “to make cost savings.”

However, the University College and Union (UCU) has rejected the university’s claim that it needs to create “financial headroom,” instead arguing that the University “is in a strong financial position having recorded a £36m surplus last year (2015/16) and its financial statement for the same year revealed it is sitting on £1.5bn of reserves.”

Though the Students’ Union collectively support the strikes after the ‘Save Our Staff’ motion was passed at the most recent Senate, General Secretary of the Students’ Union, Alex Tayler said that “the decision to boycott the University on the day is an entirely personal one.”

He added: “Whatever decision students make, they should be aware that the strike will not be an excuse for delayed assessment submission.

“Those students that wish to support the strike are welcome to stand on the picket line alongside UCU members and may consider not entering University buildings. They are still very welcome in the Union if they choose to do this.”

Alex Tayler also spoke about the university’s investments to relocate North Campus buildings, saying it was in fact a “cost saving.”

A University newsletter posted on the 13th October told UCU and University members that “whilst recognising the rights of individual members of staff to take industrial action, it is the University’s intention to endeavour to maintain normal operations during industrial action in order to safeguard the interests of our students and also of our staff and other stakeholders.”

A notice of deduction of pay followed. The newsletter said, “refusal or failure to cross a picket line is not an acceptable reason for absence from duty and all staff who fail to report for work will have their pay deducted on the above basis accordingly. ”

One student told The Mancunion, “the post suggests that they want to maintain the best interests of students, but we’re all going to to be affected by redundancies which take effect in September 2018”

The student went on to comment on the struggles the university may face after Brexit. She said  “if anything we need more language graduates, more cultural awareness, more diplomacy.”

Save Our Staff MCR, the University student-run campaign against the cuts, told The Mancunion: “We call on students to show their support for the strike in whichever way they can.

“We invite them to join us at 8:00am on Monday outside the University of Manchester Students’ Union and from there to come to the picket lines with us in order to give staff our support. We would also like to encourage students to attend the rally organised by UCU on Monday at 11am in the Students’ Union. Also, if students wish to leave messages of support, there is a card on the campaigns officers desk where they can do so.”

Writing in The Mancunion last week, Matt Wynne echoed this sentiment and said that: “students will stand in solidarity on the picket lines with staff against the arrogance of the decisions made by The University of Manchester’s senior management.”

A ballot was held on the 4th of October amongst members of the UCU at the University and 86.7 per cent of the 1049 staff who cast a vote suggested that they were “prepared to take industrial action consisting of a strike.”

Though UCU regional officer, Martyn Moss, said that “striking is always a last resort and there is still the opportunity to avoid it” if the University was to “take compulsory redundancies off the table”, the strikes are set to go ahead.

Throughout the day, staff will be joined by friends and family, and food and drink will be provided to keep the strikers going.

A spokesperson for the University said: “the University is disappointed that members of the UCU are prepared to take strike action, particularly because we have been involved in an extensive consultation process.

“Whilst the University has initiated a compulsory redundancy processes for two positions, we are committed to mitigating the need for redundancy wherever possible, and have taken a number of steps, including sourcing redeployment opportunities, tight vacancy management control and offering a generous Voluntary Severance Scheme.”

Review: How to Win Against History

Written by Izzy Lewis on . Posted in Theatre.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is… an experience. With thousands of shows to choose from and the top rated plays selling out, it’s easy to come away having seen a lot, but ultimately missing out on the best theatre. That’s where HOME’s Orbit Festival comes in — a chance to see the very best of the fest in Manchester. £5 student tickets, anyone?

Seiriol Davies’ How to Win Against History has been the critics’ top pick of the Fringe for the past two years: a three-man musical extravaganza, the show follows Henry Cyril Paget, a real-life 19th century aristocrat who put his family to shame, cross-dressing and blowing his sizeable inheritance turning his family chapel into a theatre and, in the character’s own words, “putting on plays with me in them!”

The show’s title illustrates the Paget family’s attempts to erase all records of Henry’s life following his death aged 29, this lack of information causing the plot of How to Win Against History to be heavily fabricated, as the cast readily admits.

Lacking a clear, cohesive story line, the show is more a cabaret showing snippets of the life of the 5th Marquis of Anglesey than a full-blown biographical musical.

Nonetheless, the sung-through dialogue and catchy numbers are exceptionally funny, with lyrics about privileged childhood such as ‘Eton, Eton / Pull up a peasant to put your feet on’ sticking in my head long after leaving the theatre.

The three person cast sees Davies playing the main character, Dylan Townley on piano and Matthew Blake multi-rolling and whilst all three are extremely talented, Blake’s comic timing, impressions and harmonies steal the show.

His portrayal of Lord Berners had me rolling in my seat laughing and his use of audience interaction somehow had the initially reluctant crowd singing along in both German and Welsh!

Given the content matter of the show and the incredible, high camp set covered in sequins, fairy lights, and beaded curtains I was greeted by when walking into the theatre, I think I somehow anticipated How to Win Against History to focus on the cross-dressing aspect of the Marquis’ character in a more political way than it actually did.

Davies’ Henry wears his floor length glittery gown throughout, even when playing him in childhood. As a result we never see Henry’s transformation or get a glimpse into understanding why he chose to dress this way.

Then again, the cast are very aware of their neutral position on this, assuring the audience in the opening number, ‘Mainstream Entertainment’, that ’this won’t be a difficult show / [we] don’t intend to challenge you in any way’.

Perhaps this in itself is a radical act. Cross-dressing is just one part of Henry’s eccentricity and is therefore not set apart as something shocking, worrying or wrong.

With clever wordplay, one-liners and puns, it is the script of How to Win Against History which ultimately sets it apart as a brilliant performance. As the young Henry is reminded, “history is written by the winners”, but in telling the stories of the forgotten people punished for defying the norms, everyone leaves the theatre a champion.

Campaign launched to tackle hate crime on campus

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in News.

In a bid to tackle harassment and hate crime on campus, the Higher Education Funding Council for England have announced funding will be awarded to The University of Manchester and The University of Manchester Students’ Union.

The grant, which totals over £100,000, has been donated to fund a campaign to encourage students and staff to report incidents of abuse around the university.

This follows after a report published by the Universities UK Harassment Task Force in 2016 found more could be done on English university campuses to tackle issues of harassment, hate crime, and violence against women, and specified that universities “should develop a clear and accessible response procedure and central reporting system for dealing with incidents.”

The Speak Up and Stand Up campaign forms part of the HEFCE Catalyst Fund that has already provided £760,000 earlier this year to develop a ‘Diversity and Inclusion Student Ambassador Programme’, aiming to advance both the well-being of Manchester students and racial and social equality.

Commenting on the news, Patrick Johnson, Head of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at The University of Manchester stated: “Sadly, these problematic behaviours continue to exist on campuses and in society. We all have the right to live in an environment, free from the fear of harassment or abusive behaviour, and here at Manchester, we take that right very seriously.

“With an emphasis on empowering students as future leaders of our society, this campaign aims to increase knowledge and confidence to recognise, report and safely confront these issues.”

The campaign will also have a focus beyond the campus, in the belief that incidents are not just confined to university. The funding will target secondary schools and colleges to establish similar campaigns to promote awareness of hate crimes at all levels of education.

Riddi Viswanathan, Diversity Officer at The University of Manchester Students’ Union, welcomed the news, commenting: “At the Students Union we have a zero tolerance policy on hate crime and harassment and as an official reporting centre we encourage people to come forward. However, it is sad to see that many hate crimes still go unreported.

“I welcome this collaborative project with the University and see it as an opportunity to reach out to more people, on and off campus, encouraging them to speak up and stand up to hate crime and harassment. I am certain that we can build on the successful We Get it campaign and encourage people to step up and stand up and be the change.”

How to become a minimalist

Written by James Johnson on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Picture this: less laundry, less cleaning, and a more meaningful life. Why not live a life as a minimalist, uncluttered by the thousand of material belongings we all hoard around from home to home, with little thought that they may carry no personal value?

Minimalism? You’re probably picturing the worlds most perfectly designed Scandinavian home, there might be a single chair in an empty room, the walls are likely white and there isn’t a pile of laundry in sight.

So what is minimalism? The truth is that each person may encounter and implement minimalism in a plethora of different ways. It will likely shape each of our experiences of life a little differently.

Born from the erupting popularity of Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, otherwise known as The Minimalists,  we might consider minimalism as ‘a life lived simply’. Picture less a single chair in the corner of an empty room but more a life filled with people, experiences and things that add real value to your everyday.

If you’re a documentary aficionado, you’re likely to have stumbled across, if not have been entirely engrossed by Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things, a film about paring back our lives and living without the unnecessary material things we’re prescribed every time dare consider how the newest device or clothes might revolutionise our lives.

What might once have been a modest collection of essays by the pair has grown into something anything but minimal. People all over the world have discovered the revolutionary magic of filling your life, not with the useless possessions we’ve accumulated or held onto, but the meaningful, and the worthwhile.

Their intention to live a more curated life has amassed a following of over 20 million people. Their documentary Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things, their books Everything That Remains: A Memoir by The Minimalists and Minimalism: Live A Meaningful Life as well as their chart-topping podcast The Minimalists Podcast are holy grails of advice and innovation for people purging their lives of unnecessary clutter.

“But most of us aren’t hoarders, right?! We just own a lot of stuff” says Joshua Fields Millburn in their revered TedX speech. Our kitchens, bedrooms and bathroom are chockfull of items for every conceivable ‘what-if’ situation; likely gathering dust and likely irritating to move and clean. So here’s a novel thought, ‘what-if’ we just got rid of it?

We’re often searching for new ways to add value to our lives, but this is all too often in the form of acquiring material possessions. Stripping our lives back to the meaningful things doesn’t mean throwing everything into the trash beside the clothes on your back. It’s not solely confined to things, but habits, relationships and otherwise.

It’s about applying the idea of intended living to more aspects of your life; your technology usage, your personal relations as well as your home décor.

It’s more than white walls and no furniture.

Consider minimising your overflowing wardrobe to those items you just can’t be without or consider whether you’ve enjoyed wearing them in the past 90 days. Perhaps consider on your next student loan fuelled shopping spree whether or not you’re adding any real value to your life or whether you’re just adding more junk.

Minimalism is less a prescription than it is a guiding interpretation. Whether you make the effort to spend less time mindlessly scrolling through social media and take a minute to take in your surroundings or whether you take the time to declutter that pile of junk that’s become a staple part of your bedroom, it’s the idea that removing junk makes the paths a little more travel-able.

Our lives are often too saturated with the idea that consumerism equals contentment. We’re driven to work for the promise of more and that ‘more’ often takes the form of a ‘thing’.

What if we were to pare back our lives to include the things worth including? The counter-narrative to consumerism is minimalism and it is here to help you live a little more deliberately.

A pertinent message The Minimalists often leave with their audiences; “Love people, use things. The opposite never works”.

Try:  The Short Guide to Getting Rid of Your Crap / The Consumption Continuum, from Essential: Essays by The Minimalists 

Review: Days of Wine and Roses

Written by Anuli Changa on . Posted in Theatre.

Adapted by Owen McCafferty from JP Miller’s screenplay about a couple in a mutually destructive relationship fuelled by alcoholism, Days of Wine and Roses is an evocative play set in 60s London, taking an episodical look at the life of this couple.

Beginning in an airport in Belfast, we meet Donal and Mona, both on their way to start new lives in London. From the very first scene we learn of Arkle, a racehorse Donal is obsessed with — now a legend in Irish racing history — and offers the name to Mona to bet on.

Donal offers Mona a sip from his flask, her first ever taste of alcohol but certainly not the last. In the simple studio theatre with clever set depicting sixties swinging London and photos of the races, the audience is surrounded by the changes Donal and Mona go through.

I found myself frequently forgetting I was watching a play, rather it felt like witnessing someone’s life unfold, with relatively short scenes interspersed with period music and set changes. We follow Mona and Dona into a marriage with a young son: Mona, a dissatisfied housewife, and Donal, a dissatisfied bookie.

The culture of drinking consumes them both and they spiral into a self-destructive and violent relationship. Beautifully directed by Jake Murray, capturing the nuances of a story of seemingly ordinary people dealing with a complicated addiction.

Incredibly performed by Alice Frankham and Danny Solomon, we witness the physical and emotional deterioration of these two once fresh-faced young people on an adventure in the big city. The physical violence portrayed is shocking and is cleverly contrasted with the love these two people share, and the conflict of their desire to lead better lives.

Audience emotions are wrenched from place to place as the couple successfully sober up — only to discover they’d both been hiding alcohol in the house and one celebration spells the end of their brief respite from the addiction.

We are prudently reminded of the time in history — not only by the minimal and movable set but also by historical references that didn’t intrude on the story. Perhaps the hardest-hitting reminder is Donal’s choice to take their son home to Belfast — leaving Mona — and she asks him if he would really be taking their son to a country gripped by the Troubles.

Donal’s decision to leave is influenced by Arkle the horse’s death. It is as if there is nothing left to keep him in London. Arkle is a fascinating motif and metaphor for the choices and behaviour of Donal’s character which Mona never seems to understand. The horse embodies Donal’s passion, obsession, how he loves, and also what he loses.

This performance captivated, surprised, and impressed me. Both actors were impeccable and I was left still invested in the story, we were let into snapshots of the life of a struggling couple but would never know how it ‘ends’. This in itself was an interesting and effective way of ending the play: life doesn’t have happy endings.

As the stage went dark on Donal packing to leave for Belfast, we were left with a strong sense that this story was far from over. I can’t wait to see more from Elysium Theatre Company.

Lisbon – a must-see city

Written by Megan Ritchie on . Posted in Lifestyle.

As someone who likes to get lost in their own world whilst reminiscing, I realise it was nearly a year ago my family and I took a trip to Lisbon. Writing this, it seems so difficult to pinpoint the best parts of my five-day trip to talk about. So, here’s just a little taste of both my experience in the City of Seven Hills and what it has to offer.

Image: Megan Ritchie

On our first day, we took a ride on Tram 28 — the pretty yellow Remodelado tram from the 1930s that can be seen on the majority of Lisboeta magnets and souvenirs. After departing from Praça do Martim Moniz, it takes those exploring Lisbon on the longest route around the city, so it’s an ideal way to take in all the views that Lisbon boasts from the narrow streets of Alfama to the Se Cathedral.

A quirky alternative to a rickety ride on Tram 28 is a more personalised tour on a tuk-tuk. Admittedly not traditional of Lisboeta culture, these have now become a part of a modern Lisbon as they line the streets in the city centre.

The drivers are clued-up on all things Lisbon and will personalise the route they take based on the places you want to see. On our final day, our driver took us to the sites we hadn’t yet visited and even stopped in places to let us look around and take photos.

Speaking of history in Lisbon, situated within the Baixa Pombalina in Sacramento is the Elevador de Santa Justa. The lift, built in 1837, took us 45 metres high to take in the views of the São Jorge Castle to the Tagus River. Those that are a little more daring can take the spiral staircase to the terrace for even higher views after the lift reaches its highest point.

Image: Megan Ritchie

I — reluctantly — made my way up the staircase to the terrace, but the views did not disappoint. It’s the ideal place to look down on this city and the landscape that rises and falls upon the seven hills that the city is built on.

Then from the terrace, a bridge connects the viewpoint to a walk-way back down to the lower streets of Baixa. The descent is also quite an adventure as we tackled the maze of windy roads back down to the ground.

If there’s time for a trip outside of Lisbon’s city centre, Belém is a must-see. It took us half an hour to get there from Cais do Sodré on the 15E bus. Home to Belém tower, Jerónimos Monastery and Padrão dos Descobrimentos — a historical landmark for Henry the Navigator —, Belém is perfect for those that want to gain some cultural and historical background knowledge.

To truly get a feel for Lisboeta tradition, it’s only right that we indulged in the famous pastel de nata — a Portuguese egg tart. We visited Pastéis de Belém — recently shown on The Great British Bake Off. The 180-year-old pastelaría holds the secret recipe for the first original pastels, so you really are taking a bite into history whilst relishing some more amazing sites in quaint Belém.

And on the subject of food, this brings me to one of the highlights of my trip. Situated a short walk away from the Cais do Sodré metro station is Time-Out Market — heaven on earth for food fans just like me!

Time-Out Market has it all with 30 different restaurants represented under one roof, meaning visitors can indulge in Portuguese classics, burgers, Asian food, seafood, and chicken, in the home country of peri-peri.

You simply order as much as you want from wherever you want and the place(s) you order from will give you a device that will light up and vibrate when your food is ready to collect. Over-indulgence has never been easier!

My favourite was sampling the petiscos á portuguesa at Cozinha da Felicidade — that’s ‘Kitchen of Happiness’ — that lived up to its name entirely. Time-Out Market is ideal for both the foodie and the fussy eater giving plenty choice but all-around great quality food.

It’s a cliché and the phrase gets thrown around but there really is something for everyone in this city. It’s a city bursting at the seams with history, its gothic architectural wonders stand tall in parts yet the narrow streets of its neighbourhoods are a multi-coloured wash of quaint houses and vibrant eateries.

That said, imagery doesn’t do this place justice; you can only really understand how wonderful it is when you’re wrapped up in its beauty yourself.

Flight prices from Manchester to Lisbon (with return) in January 2018 start at £42pp with Ryanair.
All flight prices were correct on the 18th October 2017.

HOME Cinema Preview: 20th October

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

Films opening at HOME this week:

The Death of Stalin

Directed by Armando Iannucci – Rated 15

Based on graphic novel The Death Of Stalin by Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin, writer and director Armando Iannucci’s (Veep, The Thick of It) acerbic satire is set in the days following the Russian leader’s stroke in 1953 as his core team of ministers tussle for control. An all-star cast includes Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, and Olga Kurylenko.

Click here to book tickets

I Am Not a Witch

Directed by Rungano Nyoni – Rated 12A

After a minor incident in her village, nine-year-old Shula is exiled to a travelling witch camp where she is told that if she tries to escape she will be transformed into a white goat. As she navigates through her new life, she must decide whether to accept her fate or risk the consequences of seeking freedom.

Click here to book tickets

Dina

Directed by Antonio Santini, Dan Sickles – Rated 15

Dina, an outspoken and eccentric 49-year-old in suburban Philadelphia, invites her fiancé Scott, a Walmart door-greeter, to move in with her. Having grown up neurologically diverse in a world blind to the value of their experience, the two are head-over-heels for one another, but shacking up poses a new challenge.

Filmmakers Dan Sickles and Antonio Santini construct seamless vérité scenes that lovingly frame Dina and Scott’s vulnerable, yet matter-of-fact romance. Whether at the local nail salon, the warm beaches of Ocean City, Dina’s racy bachelorette party, or on honeymoon in the Poconos, Dina captures the cadences and candid conversations of a relationship that re-examines the notion of love on-screen.

Click here to book tickets

The Inertia Variations

Directed by Johanna St Michaels – Rated 15

Matt Johnson, of the English band The The, has remained silent as a singer/songwriter for years. Now he attempts to challenge contemporary politics through his own 12-hour live radio broadcast. But sudden grief and a request to write a new song reveal old demons of inertia and bereavement.

Click here to book tickets

The Ballad of Shirley Collins

Directed by Rob Curry, Tim Plester – Rated 12A

Widely regarded as the 20th century’s most important singer of English traditional song, Shirley Collins stood at the epicentre of the folk-music scene during the 1960s and ‘70s. However, in 1980 she lost her voice in mysterious circumstances and was forced to retire from musical life. Rob Curry and Tim Plester’s documentary sets out to explore the story behind the icon, and chronicles Shirley’s battle, at the grand old age of 80, to rediscover that voice she lost so many years previously.

The film offsets this contemporary journey with a more literal one taken from the other end of her life and makes fertile use of authentic 1959 audio-archive to recount the tale of Shirley’s seminal road-trip around America’s Deep South alongside her then-lover, pre-eminent ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax.

Featuring cameos from the comedian Stewart Lee, and David Tibet of Current 93, the film eschews a straightforward biopic approach and mindfully sidesteps any rockumentary talking-heads; the filmmakers instead offering up a meditative and richly textured piece of portraiture. One which uses Shirley’s story as a prism through which to explore and reflect upon themes of heritage, posterity and the true ancestral melodies of the people.

Here then is a film about loss and redemption. A film about sacrifice, healing and rebirth. A film which suggests that, during these turbulent and increasingly untethered times, we might just need Shirley Collins now more than ever.

This event is part of the Manchester Folk Festival – a celebration of English folk in all its forms, from indie to traditional, familiar names alongside exciting new voices. From the 19th  to the 22nd of October, in and around HOME, the whole festival takes place in one area of Manchester over one weekend.

The Festival presents an incredible music line-up, as well as craft workshops, film, a proper pub singalong, artists in conversation, and a relaxed Festival Hub where you can watch the world go by. Friendly, inclusive and full of opportunities for discovery, it will have the spirit of a festival in a field, in the heart of the city.

Click here to book tickets

Films continuing this week:

The Party

Directed by Sally Potter – Rated 15

Sally Potter’s (Orlando) latest feature is a comedy wrapped around a tragedy which unfolds in real time in an upmarket London house.

Janet is hosting an intimate gathering of friends to celebrate her promotion to Shadow Minister of Health in the party of opposition. Her husband, Bill, seems preoccupied. As their friends arrive, the soirée gradually unravels. As people’s illusions about themselves and each other go up in smoke, along with the canapés, The Party becomes a night that began with champagne but ends with blood on the floor.

Click here to book tickets

Loving Vincent

Directed by Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman – Rated 12A

Co-directors Kobiela and Welchman explore Vincent van Gogh’s most inspirational paintings to tell the story of his remarkable work, career and his untimely and controversial demise. A synthesis of painting and cinema, this is a lovingly crafted, intelligent and informative work.

Loving Vincent will also be screening as part of Manchester Animation Festival on 15 Nov 20:15.

Click here to book tickets

Blade Runner 2049

Directed by Denis Villeneuve – Rated 15

Thirty years after the events in Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi, a new Blade Runner, LAPD Officer K — played by Ryan Gosling —, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Deckard — Harrison Ford returning to his old role — who has been missing for 30 years. Acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario) delivers perhaps the most eagerly anticipated film of the year.

Click here to book tickets

Special Events this week:

21st October – Yugoslavia, How Ideology Moved Our Collective Body + Intro Talk 

Popivoda’s work at the intersection of performance and film often explores the structure of the cultural and political spheres in both the former Yugoslavia and the broader contemporary world. Yugoslavia, How Ideology Moved Our Collective Body deals with the question of how ideology reveals itself in public space through mass performances.

The author collected and analyzed film and video footage from the Yugoslavia years (1945–2000), focusing on state performances (youth work actions, May Day parades, celebrations of the Youth Day, etc.) and counter-demonstrations (student and civic demonstrations in 1968 and the 1990s, the 5 October Overthrow of 2000, etc.). Going back through the images, the film traces how Communist ideology was gradually exhausted through the changing relations between the people, ideology, and the state.

The film will be preceded by a 30-minute talk by Jamie Rann, suitable for those with no prior knowledge of the subject.

‘Future Perfect, Past Perfect: Memory and the Russian Avant-Garde’

The Russian avant-garde of the early twentieth century is known as an unprecedented explosion of originality and idealism in art, music, and literature. But it was also a different way of thinking about time, of imagining the relationship between past, present and future.

Groups like the Russian Futurists nurtured ambitious hopes of breaking free from the burden of the past and building a utopian future. That was a century ago. What happens to the dream of the future once it is a part of the past? How do we remember the future? This talk looks at the life and legacy of Futurist poets like Velimir Khlebnikov and Vladimir Mayakovsky as a way of exploring the paradoxes of ambition and nostalgia that shaped the twentieth century and still resonate today.

Jamie Rann is Teaching Fellow in Russian at the University of Birmingham. He is the editor and a translator of Subkultura, by Artemy Troitsky, about histories of resistance in Russia, and is currently writing a book about Russian Futurist literature.

Click here to book tickets

21st October – The Ballad of Shirley Collins + Q&A 

See above for details about the film itself.

We will be joined by producer Paul Williams for a Q&A following this special preview screening chaired by Ian Anderson, Editor of fRoots Magazine

Click here to book tickets

22nd October – After this Our Exile 

Directed by Patrick Tam – Rated 15

Patrick Tam was another director to emerge during the Hong Kong new wave, and After this Our Exile is without doubt one of the best Hong Kong films since 1997. Set in an unspecified past, it is the story of a family, a father and a son, and the difficulty and disappointment of everyday life.  Another winner of Best Film at the Hong Kong film awards and the Golden Horse awards.

We are pleased to be able to screen the director’s longer edit of the film.

Click here to book tickets

22nd October – Angels of Revolution

Directed by Aleksei Fedorchenko – Rating TBA

Five friends — a poet, an actor, a painter, an architect, and a film director – are five red avant-garde artists who try to find the embodiment of their hopes and dreams in the young Soviet state. The Revolution is boiling up like a bottle of apple cider: winged service dogs and heart-shaped potatoes, dead Semashko, the People’s Commissar for Health, and cheerful angels, love for the Tsar, and love for the young secretary Annushka, executions and pregnancies — everything is interlaced and inseparable!

1934: the legendary Communist fighter, the beautiful Polina-Revoluzia, is asked by the newborn Soviet government to bring order to the north of the Soviet Union. The shamans of the two native populations, Khanty and Nenets, refuse the new ideology. Polina convinces five of her friends to go with her, former colleagues-in-arms who have now become metropolitan artists: a composer, a sculptor, a theatre director, a Constructivist architect, a famous director. They will have to try and reconcile the culture of the Russian Avant-garde with the Ancient Paganism of the peoples who live in the virgin forest around the great Siberian river Ob.

The film is based on a true story.

Click here to book tickets

23rd October – The Inertia Variations + Q&A 

See above for details about the film itself.

We will be joined by Matt Johnson and Johanna St Michaels for a Q&A following the screening on Mon 23 Oct at 18:10.

Click here to book tickets

24th October –  UK Premiere/ Dalida + Post-Screening Discussion 

This film will be followed by a post-screening discussion led by Dalia Mostafa, Lecturer in Arabic and Comparative Literature at the University of Manchester.

Although she remains largely unknown in the UK, Dalida was France’s best-selling female singer in the 20th century and a much-loved artist throughout Europe and her native Middle East. Her versatile music output, which spanned a 1950s Latin style, 1960s yéyé rock and 1970s disco, ensured her success and epitomized an oft-mocked Euro-pop sound.

Yet her tragic private life, marred by the suicides of those she loved, also aroused the sympathy of her international audience and contributed to her immense popularity. Released to coincide with the 30-year anniversary of the singer’s death, the biopic Dalida foregrounds all the essential characteristics of a modern pop star: musical hybridity, glamour, showmanship, and vulnerability. A moving and unforgettable experience!

Click here to book tickets

25th October – Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami – Live with Friends 

Rated 15

Grace Jones and Friends Live promises to be a thrilling and enlightening evening with the inimitable icon, as she discusses her life and work with some of her closest collaborators, from the worlds of music, fashion, art and film, following an exclusive preview of Sophie Fiennes’ highly anticipated new film Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami.

Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami takes the viewer on an intimate and electrifying journey that moves between four cinematic layers — performance, family, artist and gypsy – to explore the fascinating world of this pop cultural phenomenon. Here we see her behind the mask as a daughter, mother, sister and grandmother, alongside taking to the stage for a specially commissioned performance, with legendary hits including Pull Up To The Bumper and Slave to the Rhythm showcased in full. Larger than life, bordering on cartoon, wild, scary and androgynous — Grace Jones plays all these parts.

Click here to book tickets

26th October – Preview: 78/52 + Q&A

Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe – Rated 15

In 78 setups and 52 cuts, the deliriously choreographed two-minute shower sequence in Psycho ripped apart cinema’s definition of horror. With a shocking combination of exploitation and high art, Alfred Hitchcock upended his own acclaimed narrative structure by violently killing off a heroine a third of the way through his film, without explanation, justification, or higher purpose.

Psycho played out like a horrific prank, forcing audiences to recognise that even the banalest domestic spaces were now fair game for unspeakable mayhem. With black-and-white film-geek reverence, director Alexandre O. Philippe breaks down this most notorious and essential scene shot for shot, enlisting the help of film buffs and filmmakers alike—including Guillermo del Toro, Bret Easton Ellis, Karyn Kusama, Eli Roth, and Peter Bogdanovich.

We will be joined by director Alexandre O. Philippe for a Q&A following this screening.

Click here to book tickets

26th October – Psycho

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock – Rated 15

After exploring the background to Psycho’s famous shower scene in 78/52, here’s a chance to put that carefully constructed murder in context with Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 game-changer. Audiences that had come to expect horror in the form of Universal creatures or the Gothic flourishes of Hammer were stunned by Anthony Perkins’ all-too-recognisable monster, especially when the resulting chills were presented in such a deceptively simple style. A landmark genre film and a brilliant big-screen experience that seems to become more fascinating – and more suspenseful – the more one learns about it.

Click here to book tickets

Preview: Liam Fray

Written by Yasmin Duggal on . Posted in Music.

Liam Fray, frontman and songwriter of Courteeners — one of the country’s biggest and most loved home grown bands — has announced a series of intimate acoustic shows across the country in October and November. All dates have now sold out with further shows being added to the tour, and two dates are planned for Manchester’s Albert Hall.

At the gigs, Liam promises Courteeners’ classics as well as a deep dive into rarely heard songs from the band’s decade-old back catalogue. Lesser known tracks from St Jude, Falcon, and Anna can expect to be heard, as well as more recent songs from later albums, Concrete Love, and Mapping the Rendezvous.

Having played Courteener’s biggest gig to date at Old Trafford Cricket Ground in May to 50,000 fans, Fray is now swapping the huge electric-fuelled arenas for acoustic, relaxed shows at small venues around the UK. Fray has previously toured on his own in 2013, in between the release of Anna and Concrete Love, to huge success, and this tour is sure to receive similar praise.

With Courteener’s gigs usually rampant with chanting, lad-about-town, boozy crowds — a thrilling atmosphere for any indie fan —, this tour will embrace a different ambience. Tracks are stripped back and a mellow atmosphere is expected in the smaller venues. Dedicated Courteeners fans will be treated to an alternative experience — and a different side of Manchester’s best-loved noughties frontman.

Though diehard fans of the band should fear not — this solo break does not spell the end for the band, more a chance for Liam Fray to play fan favourites that they would not usually have the chance to play live, and treat avid fans to something different.

You can catch Liam Fray’s Solo Acoustic Tour at Manchester’s Albert Hall on Friday the 3rd and Saturday the 4th of November.

Jerk Ham, Egg, and Chips

Written by Samuel Pigott on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Jerk Ham, Egg, and Chips

Ingredients:

500g Smoked gammon

1 handful black peppercorns

1 red onion

2 fresh bay leaves

1 carrot roughly cubed

Oven chips

1 or 2 eggs per person

For the Jerk Marinade

2 cloves garlic

2 scotch bonnet chillies

1 red onion

1 tbsp honey

½ bunch fresh thyme

2 fresh bay leaves

1 tbsp each of ground allspice, nutmeg, ground cloves

½ tbsp. each of ground cinnamon, ground cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper

100ml spiced rum

50g fresh ginger

½ bunch spring onions

Sunflower oil

Salt and pepper

1 tin of pineapple rings

Method

Place the gammon into a pan of cold water so it is entirely submerged. Add to this the red onion peeled and cut into wedges, the carrot, bay leaves and the peppercorns. Bring to the boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 20 mins per 450g/½kg(lb) + 20 mins.

Once the gammon is cooked take it out of the pan and leave to cool. Once cooled remove any fat with a sharp knife and then score approximately 1cm into the skin in a diagonal pattern all along the surface.

To make the jerk paste simply add all the ingredients apart from the pineapple and oil into a food processor. Begin to blend and add a little oil until a paste is formed. Spread this paste all over the gammon and leave for at least 1 hour, but ideally overnight.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Layer the pineapple rings along the bottom of a baking tray and then place the meat on top, with any excess paste scraped from it. Roast for 30 minutes.

Once the meat is cooked remove it from the oven and leave to rest covered in foil for the time it takes to cook the oven chips and fry the eggs and then serve!

 

Review: Loving Vincent

Written by Tobias Soar on . Posted in Film.

Six years in the making, composed of over 65,000 hand-painted frames by over a hundred artists, “Loving Vincent” is a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-generation spectacle, that pushes the boundaries of what we thought was possible in the art of cinema. Backed up by a moving soundtrack and an incredibly talented cast, the story of Van Gogh’s death is brought to light in this work of fiction.

Everyone’s talking about it, and rightly so: this film is jaw-droppingly gorgeous; it feels like you’re watching an infinite stream of Van Gogh’s paintings being brought to life because you quite literally are doing just that. When this film eventually releases on Blu-Ray, I’m going to stick it on a loop on my desktop PC; the visuals alone are worthy of belonging in a museum.

Believe me when I say that at various moments during the film I wanted to step out of my seat at Cinema 5 of HOME Cinema to touch the screen and feel the brushstrokes under my fingertips in front of the full showing.

Technically speaking, the process behind making this film is a refinement of an age-old technique known as rotoscoping. The all-star cast composed of Saoirse Ronan, Jerome Flynn and Chris O’Dowd, to name a few, was filmed using a standard cinema-grade camera. Then the footage was used as

Then the footage was used as a reference and was painted over, by hand, by over a hundred artists, frame by frame, in Van Gogh’s style, to achieve the desired effect presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio, exactly like a landscape oriented painting.

The attention to detail achieved by these artists is simply mind-blowing. Light sources such as stars and candles flicker in the background while their reflections on wine and beer glasses shimmer in a dream-like manner.

A couple of scuffles occur in the story and their animation is just sublime, smooth, and a pleasure to watch.

The dreaminess of the film is enhanced by the clever “camerawork” – if you can even call a non-existent camera in an animation that — that isn’t constrained by the physical limitations of the real world, adapting to its environment and achieving angles that may be possible in our reality if we ever break through to using the fourth dimension as a cinematographic tool.

To top it off, the transitions between scenes are ingenious, presenting the viewer with a melting, flowing blend of colours and shapes, just as Van Gogh painted, in the place of traditional jump-cuts.

Van Gogh’s last days are a mystery, to say the least, however directors and writers Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman gathered as much real evidence as they could from multiple books and the artist’s letters to his brother Theo, to tell the story.

If Agatha Christie were to write a story about Vincent’s death, this would be it. Eyewitness accounts of his last days are unreliable and incoherent with one another, adding to a great sense of mystery that shrouds the film. The plot isn’t anything we haven’t seen before but it’s presented so beautifully that it’s totally permissible. It’s pacing is laid back, I wouldn’t call it slow but it isn’t racing forward at a breakneck speed, either.

The plot isn’t anything we haven’t seen before, but it’s presented so beautifully that it’s totally permissible. It’s pacing is laid back, I wouldn’t call it slow but it isn’t racing forward at a breakneck speed, either.

Although the voice acting is top notch, the fact that many characters are extremely British, despite having a plot that takes place in France, caught me off guard initially but then made sense as the performance continued. Using faux French accents would be distasteful and even more unsettling than regional accents from Great Britain, therefore the decision is a wise one, in my eyes, at least.

Lovers of drama, murder-mysteries, art, Van Gogh or visual spectacles, I urge you to go and watch this film. It’s, hands down, the most beautiful film I have ever laid my eyes upon. It’s hypnotising and will suck you into its dreamy canvas, despite having a good yet slightly cliché plot.

Going to watch this gorgeous, groundbreaking work of art is essential to anyone who likes to brag about “having been there” when this film was in cinemas. But, most of all, please remain in your seat, I doubt your fellow cinema-goers will appreciate your loving caresses of the silver screen.

 

Rating: 4/5

Halloween’s unlikely style icons

Written by Talia Lee-Skudder on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

It’s that time of year again. The leaves have started to fall, the nights are drawing in, and Halloween is looming just around the corner. In previous years, I have struggled to fully embrace the 31st of October, the memories still haunt me of lathering decade old makeup onto my face as a child and coming out in a rash.

Most people seem to give the night a very halfhearted attempt. Usually, fancy dress involves a very cute — albeit, revealing — outfit, with killer makeup which is less than scary.

And that’s just the lads. It’s tricky ground, you don’t want to appear as though ‘you are too cool to bother’, but you also don’t want to find yourself having a Cady Heron moment. Halloween is the most complicated event in the fashion social calendar.

Aside from manoeuvring the do’s and don’t’s of this festive period, Halloween does also provide us with some very unlikely style icons. As we move into the winter months, take inspiration from some of the most memorable Halloween characters and fancy dress favourites and incorporate their styles into your everyday winter wardrobe.

Morticia Addams

Whilst her trademark long black hair has become a staple of every Halloween party, The Addam’s Family matriarch Morticia is a very improbable fashionista and knows exactly how to rock a fitted black dress and a red lip.

Although her complexion is on the paler side, her makeup and nails are always immaculate. If you can take any fashion advice from this fictional character, let it be to find what suits your body shape and stick with it.

Morticia wears the same black dress throughout the much-loved series, was this because of the small wardrobe budget or because she knew her fitted black fishtail dress was a flattering, failsafe signature look? I am fairly convinced it has to be the latter.

Take inspiration from her, know what suits your body and never be afraid to wear black lace.

SJP in Hocus Pocus

When I was little, watching Hocus Pocus was a regular feature in the run-up to Halloween. I was always so desperate to dress up as Sarah Sanderson, who just also happens to be the very stylish Sarah Jessica Parker — I had good taste even as a five-year-old, but I didn’t understand that a child wearing a corset was just not appropriate.

Now, it is perfectly okay to incorporate a corset into an evening look, whether you wear it over a t-shirt or under a jacket, the corset is a great way to update your outfit. In their SS18 runway show, JW Anderson showcased their relaxed take on the classic style by creating less structured corsets that can be worn every day.

Chokers

Chokers have been big on the scene for the past year or so now and their popularity does not seem to be wavering. A choker is Halloween chic at its finest and an easy addition to complete any outfit.

The origins of the choker trace back to the French Revolution in the 18th Century when women wore a red ribbon around their necks in homage to those who met their death at the guillotine. The red colour of the choker symbolised the blood of the dead. From its bloody background to the choker craze of the 1990s, the popular necklace trend is now enjoying a long revival.

Velvet

Think Debbie Reynolds in Disney’s cult classic film Halloweentown. The fun-loving grandmother knew how to wear velvet in rich autumnal shades, whilst the style is outdated velvet certainly is not.

The sumptuous and lavish material has always been a staple in the autumn/winter wardrobes of the rich and famous. Velvet clothing is great for transitional clothing and taking you into those colder winter months — less witchlike, more chic. The perfect Halloween inspired fabric.

Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice

The 1980s classic Beetlejuice provided us with Michael Keaton’s famous fitted striped suit, a statement look that would not look entirely out of place in our everyday wardrobes. The striped suit is not reserved solely for men but is a super stylish choice for all of the fashion-forward women out there.

Cara Delevingne and Olivia Palermo are fans of wearing a fitted tuxedo on the red carpet, and Beetlejuice’s vibrant vertical striped suit would not be out of place here. Vertical stripes are also a winner for elongating your legs, what’s not to love?

Alternatively, you could wear each item separately. Team a black and white striped blazer with your black skinnies or some striped trousers with a leather jacket and be more understated in your channelling of Halloween’s favourite film character, Beetlejuice.

Whilst Halloween only lasts one day, these pieces will become timeless additions to your autumn/winter wardrobe.

Live Review: The Australian Pink Floyd

Written by Yasmin Duggal on . Posted in Music.

Sunday 15th October at Liverpool Echo Arena

Celebrating Pink Floyd live since 1988 and selling over 4 million tickets across 35 countries, The Australian Pink Floyd have created a legacy in their own right. Tribute bands are often mocked as a poor attempt to recreate the real-life magic of the world’s greatest, but the Aussies remain a spectacle of their own. They so perfectly capture the essence, the politics, the colours, the immense instrumentals of such an influential band; it’s an honour to still be able to experience the awe.

An eclectic set list cohesively bound the show together, undulating between decades, styles, and albums, with the flow of an extremely well-oiled machine. They exquisitely encapsulated that imperative listening etiquette with Pink Floyd; their albums are a narrative, and the band successfully delivered, telling their own story, with a sentimental reference to Syd Barrett during ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’.

‘Breathe’ set the bar for an extravagant show, back up singers Lara Smiles, Emily Lynn, and Lorelei McBroom astonishing with their vocals on their solos, and front man Chris Barnes commanding attention with his hugely powerful presence as he stepped forward to the microphone and unleashed David Gilmour, with his own added flare. What was effective was there was no attempt to physically imitate the band, just a wholeness to the respect they paid Pink Floyd.

Visually stimulating moments came during the use of giant blow-up puppets, which hovered ominously above the crowd, the teacher, kangaroo and pig all creating spectacles at relevant moments in the tribute. Montages of bumbling political figures, provocative Banksy works, and Pink Floyd’s own visuals elevated the show to an overwhelming aesthetic level. If the music wasn’t spot on individually, the theatricality of Pink Floyd’s legacy was made to be felt.

A stand-out moment, besides every monumental track, was ironically a stripped back ‘Wish You Were Here’, which needed the assistance of just a solitary acoustic guitar, but which filled the arena with a tangible nostalgia.

Lasers imitating the movement of guitar strings was strikingly poignant as that familiar five note sequence signalled the start of the unmistakable Floyd track. With the spotlight centred on guitarist and vocalist David Domminney Fowler, it was one of those pin-drop moments which inevitably induce a tear — or two.

The competence and fluidity with which The Australian Pink Floyd capture the wizardry of the real thing is astounding. They are all incredible musicians in their own right, and remind us that recapturing such a niche art form is not an easy thing to do, but when done successfully, can evoke the same power that their predecessors held in decades gone by.

10/10

Halloween makeup on a student budget

Written by Jennifer Knowles on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Up until recently, your Halloween make-up was probably stolen from your younger sibling’s dress-up box and smeared on in a desperate attempt to make a successfully scary, but not completely disastrous, Halloween makeup.

When I took a trip to my local Superdrug, I was pleasantly surprised by the vast number of new affordable products on the makeup stands.

Revolution, the cheap and animal-friendly make-up brand, have come out with a range of Halloween themed makeup.

Standing out immediately was their ‘Ghost sculpt’ pallet (£4), containing a duo of grey/black powder to carve out cheekbones and accentuate hollows of the face and a white powder to give you that pale spooky look — no fake tan necessary for this holiday season. In addition, they have also introduced realistic fake blood and scar liquid latex for just £2 each if you’re going for a more realistically scary look.

Photo: Superdrug

MUA’s ‘undress your skin’ highlighters are a personal favourite of mine, at only £3 for a large pan that will last months. These can give a natural or intense glow depending on how much you build up the product, making them very versatile for any radiant look.

This year, on MUA’s shelves are the new range of Halloween-themed highlight shades including ‘Black magic’, a dark glittery powder for a more Gothic highlight, or ‘Glistening amethyst’ and ‘Aqua shine’ if you’re going for something more mythical, such as space or mermaid themed.

Photo: Superdrug

With Stephen King’s IT on the must-watch horror movie list of the year, the clown trend is more popular than ever.

All you need is some smeared eyeliner — the Rimmel ‘Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eye Liner’ is the perfect blacker than black pencil you need to create this creepy look — paired with some overdrawn red lipstick; the ‘Scarlett Moisturising Lipstick’ from New Look’s makeup range is bright red, joker-style, and at only £3.99 is a complete bargain. Use MUA’s red lipliner, pricing at only £1, which also includes a sharpening lid to ensure that you can draw a precise outline.

With just a few cheap products it’s never been easier to create so many spooky-chic makeup looks this Halloween. Head over to the Superdrug website where you can watch some Halloween-inspired makeup tutorials.